The Wolverhampton Stroke Service was established in 1995.
Our Stroke service provides Hyperacute and Acute Care for the combined populations of Wolverhampton, Walsall and South Staffordshire which has a combined population of around 600000 people.
Our Stroke service is housed in a purpose built 39 bedded ward with an integrated TIA clinic directly adjacent to the ward.
We have around 1200 confirmed Stroke admissions each year.
We provide a 24/7 Stroke thrombolysis service and have a 24/7 Stroke thrombectomy pathway to UHNM/The Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke on Trent.
We currently have 8.0 WTE Stroke Consultants in post.
The advertised post is to replace a locum consultant post with a substantive post to maintain 8 WTE Stroke consultants in total.
All work duties for the successful candidate are within the Stroke directorate. There is no general medical on call commitment with this post.
Hyperacute Service
All suspected Stroke patients to our emergency department (ED) are reviewed by our Stroke specialist nurse 24 hours a day. The Stroke specialist nurse team are an independent team who will triage all Stroke clinical referrals. Our Stroke specialist nurses are currently using Pre – Hospital video triage with the West Midlands Ambulance service as part of a national pilot.
1. To act as a Consultant Physician providing, with colleagues safe and effective 7 day Hyper-acute and acute stroke service and a daily TIA service
2. To work with rehabilitation and community services to ensure timely and safe transfer of care
3. To contribute to audit, the Stroke Data-base and performance review to ensure the service continues to meet the requirements of the National Stroke Strategy, Regional Stroke Specification and SSNAP
4. To contribute to stroke service teaching and training
5. To contribute to under-graduate teaching.
6. To provide medical input as required to the Early Supported Discharge Team/Community Stroke Teams
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust is one of the largest acute and community Trusts in the West Midlands providing a comprehensive range of services for the people of Wolverhampton, the wider Black Country, Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Shropshire. We have been rated as GOOD during our recent CQC inspection. The Trust provides a comprehensive range of community, acute and specialist/tertiary services at New Cross Hospital, (secondary and tertiary services including Maternity, Accident & Emergency, Critical Care, outpatients), West Park Hospital, over 20 Community sites and Cannock Chase Hospital.
Ward
39 bedded ward with 12 HASU beds and 2 ringfenced beds for direct admission
2 ward consultants are present on the ward during the working week. Our thrombolysis consultant for the day is independent of the ward to ensure rapid front door assessment for hyperacute patients.
We have 7-8 residents on the ward, 7 middle grade doctors/ senior clinical fellows and 4 physician associates. They will rotate around the ward and also support front door activities.
TIA Service
We provide 7 day TIA clinics in our purpose built TIA clinic that is directly adjacent to the Stroke ward.
TIA clinics have access to all diagnostics 7 days a week that includes Carotid Ultrasound, ECG and blood investigations.
We have same day access to 4 dedicated daily MRI TIA slots during weekdays.
We have rapid access to outpatient CTAs and have a very efficient pathway with the Vascular service for rapid carotid endarterectomy/ intervention if that is required.
Rehabilitation and Community Stroke Services
Patients admitted to our Stroke service have access to rehabilitation unit at West Park Hospital. Work is currently underway to further streamline the process through community based rehabilitation and reconfiguration of service.
